Rhythm and Meter

Abstract Existing theories of musical rhythm and meter take sound as a given, but many pieces of sign language music do not include any sounding elements. This chapter applies the notions of rhythm and meter to the visual domain, drawing on existing literature on music theory, sign language poetry, and the perception and cognition of rhythm. It explores entrainment, pulse, rhythm, and meter in sign language music, arguing that signers present visual rhythms using four movement types: hold emphasis, movement emphasis, movement size, and movement duration. The chapter further shows how visual rhyme impacts the creation of metrical structures, investigates the complex metrical situations that arise when spoken and signed languages interact, and defines the concept of phrase rhythm in sign language music. It uses varied examples, from percussion songs, to Deaf hip hop, to translated songs, to reveal the resiliency of rhythm in human musical life.